How motivations for CSR and consumer-brand social distance influence consumers to adopt pro-social behavior

Danielle Mantovani, Magalhães de Andrade, Lucas and Negrão, Angela

Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 2017, vol. 36, issue C, 156-163

Abstract: This study proposes that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices may influence consumers’ pro-social behavior. We propose that this influence depends on the firm's motivation for CSR, and is moderated by the consumer-brand social distance. Two experiments demonstrate that consumers close to a brand become less pro-social when the firm's motivation is perceived as self-serving (vs. public-serving), whereas consumers distant from the brand are equally influenced by the CSR action regardless of the motivation behind it. A mediation analysis supported the hypothesis that this effect occurs because of consumer skepticism about the CSR action. When the firm's motivation is self-serving (vs. public-serving), consumers close to the brand become more skeptical, which decreases their intention to support a social cause. Our results contribute theoretically by showing that the positive and negative effects of CSR practices on consumers’ pro-social behavior are moderated by consumer-brand social distance. We also show the mediating role played by consumer skepticism. Moreover, we demonstrate that CSR influences consumer behavior beyond the consumer-brand dyadic relationship.

Keywords: Motivations for CSR; Consumer-brand social distance; Consumers’ pro-social behavior (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (17)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:joreco:v:36:y:2017:i:c:p:156-163

DOI: 10.1016/j.jretconser.2017.01.009

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